Download - Donington

Keedowah

Thinking of going this year with a couple of friends - anyone else gone with a hired campervan? Any suggestions on best places/prices etc?

I don't mind driving a few hours to the gig if it means saving a few bob - but all within reason of course.

Many from these parts going this year?

Motley Crue

I'm going to be there for Metallica on Saturday (surprisingly the first time I'll have ever gone to Download), the less mentioned about Friday the better, and I might get a ticket for the Sunday as well provided that Black Sabbath don't pull out or that no other major alternation is made to that particular headline act.

Got a hotel for the Sat/Sun as I'm going to buy Day Tickets as I've had enough of camping. There's nothing like a good breakfast, a comfortable bed and a proper shower to set you up in the morning.

I think Metallica's set should be awesome, as usual, and I'm looking forward to seeing if some of the rumored acts are performing. I really want to see Papa Wheelie so hopefully they'll get their act together and perform on the same day as 'Tallica

Sonisphere is less than a month later (which is my third visit there) so I need to save money where I can.

hellyeah

paying my 2nd visit to Donnington this year. As above doing the hotel thing. Cant beat it. Was at soni last year so looking forward to seeing Metallica again.
Hey Motley what other acts are rumored?
the suspense is Killing me.:D

Motley Crue

hellyeah wrote: »

paying my 2nd visit to Donnington this year. As above doing the hotel thing. Cant beat it. Was at soni last year so looking forward to seeing Metallica again.
Hey Motley what other acts are rumored?
the suspense is Killing me.:D

Coal Chamber are a strong possibility, as is Steel Panther and Trivium

There's also been a lot of talk about TOOL, Blink 182 and a Sheffield band called While She Sleeps. TOOL are supposed to be on Sunday, and might (depending on the whole Black Sabbath thing) be the best choice to replace Sabbath if they're unable to fulfill their duties.

Then we have the usual bands doing the festival circuit - either they'll play Download or Sonisphere - In Flames, Five Finger Death Punch, Killswitch Engage, Ghost and Sepultura to name but a few

scudzilla

hellyeah wrote: »

paying my 2nd visit to Donnington this year. As above doing the hotel thing. Cant beat it. Was at soni last year so looking forward to seeing Metallica again.
Hey Motley what other acts are rumored?
the suspense is Killing me.:D

Reminds me of Monster of Rock '87, those who were there will know what i'm on about ;)

Keedowah

Out of interest - how far away is your hotel? Was it expensive?

D.Q

Hey Motley, wheres this TOOL rumour coming from!? any definite source? dont want to get too excited over nothing...

Motley Crue

D.Q wrote: »

Hey Motley, wheres this TOOL rumour coming from!? any definite source? dont want to get too excited over nothing...

I've heard about TOOL from their fan forums, a lot of people have been talking about it.

About 2 weeks ago E Festivals listed them as a possible rumored performer. Now, whether or not you like the site, E Festivals has been known to predict (successfully) the line up of major UK festivals for many years. They don't put anything on their site unless their sure an appearance is at least in the negotiating stages. A lot of people on that site work in Press and PR.

I know a lot about the PR team for Sonisphere but those guys are always told to keep their mouths shut about announcements. I do know the first headliner announcements are coming very soon.

Keedowah wrote: »

Out of interest - how far away is your hotel? Was it expensive?

I got a fantastic deal, as I've said I booked the 2 nights, it's about 12 miles away (20/30 minutes drive from the festival site) but I got a really cheap price - about £66 GBP for a Double Room (includes breakfast)

I booked it with Booking.com which meant no deposit but your booking is secure (I sound like an ad now) but the hotel is called Hog's Head Hotel but it was recommend because they're recently had their rooms upgraded and modernized.

http://www.hogsheadhotel.co.uk/

hellyeah

Keedowah wrote: »

Out of interest - how far away is your hotel? Was it expensive?

Im staying in the Stuart hotel in derby. Got a twin room for 4 nights for £250 for two people. Hotel is 100yards from the train station which runs
shuttle buses to the festivel about 20mins away.
Can highly recommend this hotel. When we stayed there before there was
lots of metal heads staying there and it was great craic in the bar in the evening after the gig. With the residents bar we stayed up most nights till 2- 3 am and they had scuzz tv on in the bar.
Bullet for my Valentine were staying there. Im not a fan, but they seem really nice lads and were down in the bar on the saturday night after they played chatting to everyone.
Breakfast was great. really set you up for the day.

D.Q

Motley Crue wrote: »

I've heard about TOOL from their fan forums, a lot of people have been talking about it.

About 2 weeks ago E Festivals listed them as a possible rumored performer. Now, whether or not you like the site, E Festivals has been known to predict (successfully) the line up of major UK festivals for many years. They don't put anything on their site unless their sure an appearance is at least in the negotiating stages. A lot of people on that site work in Press and PR.

I know a lot about the PR team for Sonisphere but those guys are always told to keep their mouths shut about announcements. I do know the first headliner announcements are coming very soon.

Jesus. IF... they are announced tomorrow I'll lose my ****ing mind. Hopefully they wont be at Sonisphere. They would single handedly make my ticket the greatest purchase I have ever made.

charlietheminxx

I'm doing Download for definite this summer..... I just hope that Black Sabbath still play, but I suppose that will depend on how Tony Iommi is doing at that stage

If the line-up is right, I'll be hitting Sonisphere for the third time as well! I have to admit, I've gotten fiercely impatient waiting for the first announcement.

As for camper vans and the like, I have no idea, I just pass out in a tent OLD SCHOOL STYLE :P

o1s1n

charlietheminxx wrote: »

I'm doing Download for definite this summer..... I just hope that Black Sabbath still play, but I suppose that will depend on how Tony Iommi is doing at that stage

Myself and the girlfriend got a fancy little house thing in the pod village/VIP area (comes with electricity and all!) purely as we've been waiting years to see Black Sabbath but aren't into the idea of slumming it as a festival. Cost a bomb, but for Black Sabbath - totally worth it.

Will be absolutely gutted if Tony is too sick to play

Motley Crue

o1s1n wrote: »

Will be absolutely gutted if Tony is too sick to play

I hate to ruin your plans but I've been told by someone in the PR department for the festival that if Tony is too sick to play then they would rather not have Black Sabbath listed as headliner. So I don't know whether the plan is to scrap Sabbath entirely, and put Ozzy further down on the bill (or, God forbid, have him headline), or whether it's just to move the second to last one up one.

D.Q

Motley Crue wrote: »

I hate to ruin your plans but I've been told by someone in the PR department for the festival that if Tony is too sick to play then they would rather not have Black Sabbath listed as headliner. So I don't know whether the plan is to scrap Sabbath entirely, and put Ozzy further down on the bill (or, God forbid, have him headline), or whether it's just to move the second to last one up one.

this is why I think there is going to be at least one HUGE sub headliner announced tonight.

Keedowah

What time is the announcement?

Couldn't sort out the camper van so booked into the Holiday Inn in Derby from Thursday night - anything usually go on on the Thursday anyone know?

Motley Crue

They usually try and make the announcement around 9pm, they send out the releases and what not, and then that guy on Radio 1 gets to promote it first in the UK

Furious-Red

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76550359#post76550359

Forgot i had this topic ha .

scudzilla

The announcement tonight is.......Soundgarden, Biffy Clyro, You me at Six and Tenacious D.

Soundgarden will be playing under Sabbath

Mushy

With more to come later on tonight!

Nea

Please Dear God may Soundgarden announce a solo date here, have no interest in the Download line up except for them and Sabbath.

I hope to do Soni again,eagarly awaiting announcements.

Do people realise or care that Ireland's first Euro match is on the Sunday evening of Download?

Zwillinge

Am thinking I'm going to this, was originally sold on The Black Album being played and The Prodigy, but now am excited to see Tenacious D and Biffy again. I seen them last year at Soni and they know how to put on a nice show.

Has anyone gone before and gotten a hotel for a night or two? Myself and my gig buddy are getting old in our bones Just wondering is there any nearby accomodation and easy commute to and from the site? Buses or trains etc.

Thanks guys! And yay festival

Would so try and do Sonipshere too, but can't get time off in July, not even a day!

Welsh Megaman

UGLY KID JOE!!

They are working on new material too, which should get an airing.

Malice

Nea wrote: »

Do people realise or care that Ireland's first Euro match is on the Sunday evening of Download?

I do anyway . There were vague plans to head over there this year but when we realised there would be a clash we changed our minds. I was over there in 2006 during the world cup. It was quite interesting actually to be perched on the hill watching Cradle of Filth one side and England v Paraguay on the other.

hellyeah

lol^:D

Keedowah

Zwillinge wrote: »

Am thinking I'm going to this, was originally sold on The Black Album being played and The Prodigy, but now am excited to see Tenacious D and Biffy again. I seen them last year at Soni and they know how to put on a nice show.

Has anyone gone before and gotten a hotel for a night or two? Myself and my gig buddy are getting old in our bones Just wondering is there any nearby accomodation and easy commute to and from the site? Buses or trains etc.

Thanks guys! And yay festival

Would so try and do Sonipshere too, but can't get time off in July, not even a day!

Check out the earlier posts - I'm booked into a hotel near the train station in Derby, Hellyeah is staying close by and has said that they run shuttle buses to and from the gig from there.

I'm in the same boat - too old to go camping again, no problem doing it in the wilderness but having people walking-on, p-ing on and pukeing on your tent is not my idea of fun - plus I want the comfort of having a shower over the weekend.

Motley Crue

Keedowah wrote: »

but having people walking-on, p-ing on and pukeing on your tent is not my idea of fun.

Try telling that to the couple that had sex just 5 feet away from me. Woke me up during her orgasm, I appreciated the shouting, but the "I'm arriving" part was just too weird for me to handle

lord lucan

Motley Crue wrote: »

Sonisphere is less than a month later (which is my third visit there) so I need to save money where I can.

FNM being heavily rumoured for Sonisphere.

Malice

scudzilla wrote: »

Reminds me of Monster of Rock '87, those who were there will know what i'm on about ;)

I wasn't there. Can you let me in on the joke?

scudzilla

Malice wrote: »

I wasn't there. Can you let me in on the joke?

Huge banner above the stage read 'Donnington' when it is actually 'Donington'

Another fcuk up, apart from Bon Jovi allegedly sabotaging Metallica's sound, was the intro to Bon Jovi, he climbed up onto the lighting rig and was lowered down for the start, but nobody put a spotlight on him and most missed it, those who saw a guy coming down just thought it was a roadie.

Was a great day though, All the Metallica/Anthrax fans scruffy as fcuk, laughing at the Bon Jovi fans in there glam gear (white pants etc) slipping on there arses in the mud cos it rained nearly all day :D

TerrorFirmer

Last year the weather was fantastic for the first 2 days, I even got sunburnt, but the final day was absolutely dire and the whole place turned into a quagmire. Really want to go this year, but so far, got no one to go with....not sure I'd go it alone! Was great last year though, had the time of my life.

Motley Crue

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

Sunday last year was ridiculous. Not as ridiculous as the people who left early though. Fools! I did hide out in the 3rd stage tent for a good while though
I went on my own last year, had a great time of it!

I can just echo that, no shame in going on your own, some of the best times of your life can be spent at music festivals on your own time. You will see the bands you want to see and be there solely for the music, not stopping at every bar or burger van to drink yourself silly....you can do that anyway, but believe me, without drunk mates to worry about the festival can have a whole lot more potential

think, no longer will you say, damn...i wish i hadn't missed THAT band

FEAR FACTORY....THAT IS ALL....

FEAR FACTORY

Doctor_Socks

Went there last year and the year before. First time had AC/DC, Rage and Aerosmith, 3 of us went and it was absolutely unreal! Didn't really mix with anyone though, just kept to ourselves which I kind of regret now, got crazy drunk every night though for the cheesy power ballads in the bell tent!

Last year there was 6 of us, went for the 5 days and went drinkin with a crazy amount of people! Had English, Scottish and Welsh calling over to out gazebo to do beer bongs with us! Needless to say we never lost one, did our nations stereotype proud!! Only complaint I had with last year was that they lengthened the walk into town so getting a nice fry in the morning was that much harder

This year there's 12 going, mainly to see Soundgarden. I like my metal a lot heavier then the rest of the guys going so i'll be happily spending my Sunday watching Devil Driver and Lamb of God. Can't wait to go!! To anyone going on there own, you'll end up meeting people at Dublin airport heading over so you can always tag along with a group!

hellyeah

reading the above posts is bringing back alot of memorys from Download 2 years ago. 2 of us went over then and had a ball.
We wimped out and stayed in a hotel, which after the rain on sunday i was glad we did. We had a great time in our hotel after each night as the bar stayed open till 3am. The hotel staff were sound. The 2 of us were out on the front steps having a smoke and beers just chatting to passers by/other festivel attendees etc. Before we knew it there was about 15people sitting on the steps outside the hotel all drinking and talking about the days events. Met people from wales, scotland, england, europe etc and had a laugh. What we found about the whole weekend was how friendly everyone was and there was no trouble to be seen anywere.
(not like some of the Muppetry you Sometimes see at gigs here)
For anyone thinking of going i would defo recommend it.:D

PS Motley ( I cant wait to see Fear Factory to):D

Fi H

I've been to the last 4 i think! Did RIP camping last year but it really wasnt worth it! My only problem with DL is the walk from the campsite to the arena but screw that I'm not going to miss this year
I just hope theres no sideways rain this year! it definitely wiped me out!
Have already booked flights but no tickets yet

My top tips for DL are to camp up the back, bring ear plugs and not to bother planning on going back to your tent during the day!

Sonisphere is my number 1 festival but its hard to see whos going to beat the DL line up this year.....unless the get PJ & Soundgarden on the same bill

Catari Jaguar

This will be my first time to go to a festival and my first time travelling to see a band! Been lucky enough for all my favourites to play in Dublin. I wanted to go to Download in 2009 - FNM, KoRn, Marilyn manson, ZZ Top, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Down, Slipknot, Prodigy... Ah! Fukn made for me. But boyf had to work. :rolleyes: Luckliy I've gotten to see most of those bands over here though. Not too impressed with this years line up tbh. I'm pretty much going for Black Sabbath. Forked out €700 but will be totally worth it. Staying in RIP like a fogey, I likes my hygiene and my sleep... Looking forward to all the off stage entertainment and staying in one of these badboys.



Very metal \m/

Furious-Red

Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,

At this time, I would love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour. However, I am unable to continue unless a "signable" contract is drawn up; a contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band. Last year, I worked diligently in good faith with Tony, Ozzy and Geezer. And on 11/11/11, again in good faith, I participated in the L.A. press conference. Several days ago, after nearly a year of trying to negotiate, another 'unsignable' contract was handed to me.

Let me say that although this has put me in some kind of holding pattern, I am packed and ready to leave the U.S. for England. More importantly, I definitely want to play on the album, and I definitely want to tour with Black Sabbath. Since the news of Tony's illness, and the understanding that the band would move production to the U.K., I've spent everyday getting to or living in a place of readiness to leave. That involves something of a task, and as I've tried to find out what's going on with the U.K. sessions, I've realized that I've been getting "the cold shoulder" (and, I might add, not for the first time). Feeling somewhat ostracized, my guess is as of today, I will know nothing of what'shappening unless I sign 'the unsignable contract'.

The place I'm in feels lousy and lonely because as much as I want to play and participate, Ialso have to stand for something and not sign on. If I sign as-is, I stand to lose my rights, dignity and respectability as a rock musician. I believe in freedom and freedom of speech. I grew up in a hard rock/metal band. We stood for something then, and we played from the heart with honesty and sincerity. I am in the spirit of integrity, far from the corporate malady, I am real and honest, fair and compassionate.

If I'm replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans. I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted. Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact.

So here I am. I lay my truth down before you. I'm good to go IF I get a 'signable' contract. I don't want to let anyone down, especially Black Sabbath and all the Sabbath fans. You know I love you. It would be a sad day in Rock if this current situation fell to the desires of a few.

My position is not greed-driven. I'm not holding out for a 'big piece' of the action (money) like some kind of blackmail deal. I’d like something that recognizes and is reflective of my contributions to the band, including the reunions that started fourteen years ago. After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract. I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I've brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning.

That's the story so far.

Stay safe and stay strong.

I love every single one of you.

--Bill Ward

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/news/12/120202g.shtml

Catari Jaguar

Ah ****.

Furious-Red

Also As I Lay Dying have apparently cancelled their european tour

Graspop Metal Meeting
Before announcing the headliner for Sunday 24 June, first some sad news. AS I LAY DYING won't be coming to Graspop Metal Meeting since they have cancelled their European tour.

Motley Crue

cherub rock wrote: »

Ah ****.

Between this and Tony's illness the promoters have been ****ed over big this year

All of this, and Sonisphere haven't even announced their UK headliners, which I needn't tell you is going to be massive.....

NIBBS

I wouldn't be worrying too much about Bill Ward yet - from having read the stuff he's sadi before on this I think they are handing him a contract basically saying he's just a session drummer where all he wants is one listing him as one of the original members of the band, and if this is the case I'm 100% behind him, treat the man with some respect, that's all........anyway he sorted out the last tour he did with them and I'm sure he can sort out this......
Iommi's treatment is the real worry, hopefully it doesn't take too much out of him and he's well on the road to recovery by June......

As I Lay Dying - hmmmm, not to fussed that they've cancelled the Euro tour to be honest....

NIBBS

Motley Crue wrote: »

Between this and Tony's illness the promoters have been ****ed over big this year

All of this, and Sonisphere haven't even announced their UK headliners, which I needn't tell you is going to be massive.....

I don't know Crue if the Headliners are what the UK papers said this morning, Queen with Adam Lambert singing and FNM I think they are already way behind......and behind other Sonispheres - as much as I love Queen's music that line up isn't a Headline band......we'll see what actually gets announced if it ever gets announced.....

Fi H

Its definitely Queen so I have to agree that I think Sonis is not going to be as good a line up this year! DL have snaked a number of bands out.

That said I still believe Sonis is a waaaaaay better festival overall in terms of layout, facilities etc!

Motley Crue

Fi H wrote: »

Its definitely Queen so I have to agree that I think Sonis is not going to be as good a line up this year! DL have snaked a number of bands out.

As much as I'd like it to be it's not until they announce it

That means the website's gotta change too, and right now, that's not the case

breffni666

Have to say how times have changed. Was at Doni in 90, 92 and 07, 2 of 3 for maiden and the first for Whitesnake. Those days you went in the gate with your 5ltr drums!!! of warm beer before going up on the bank. Pissing to the right, food and beer to the left and only ONE main stage in front. Lay on the bank all day only moving for the warm up bands you might like, in my case Thunder , W.A.S.P etc back up to the bank until the headline act. No jumping from Billy to Jack to see a particular band. Just lay back and enjoy the 10 or so bands on the bill, some you like, some you would never have heard of before but a class day out all the same. Dont like the way Download has taken the MOR mantle. With Monsters you went for the headline act with Download you go anyway rather than the religious experience that it was back in the day. Each to their own I suppose but there was definite electricity in the air with Maiden in 92 knowing that most if not all of the crowd were Maiden fans, I just dont get the same feeling nowadays. In 07 the crowd felt like it was a mixed crowd not a purely Maiden crowd which slightly diminished the atmosphere imo.
Have to say that flying into East Midlands Airport over Donington is a great feeling. Onto the bus and into the venue in 25mins is excellent.

Motley Crue

breffni666 wrote: »

Have to say how times have changed. Was at Doni in 90, 92 and 07, 2 of 3 for maiden and the first for Whitesnake. Those days you went in the gate with your 5ltr drums!!! of warm beer before going up on the bank. Pissing to the right, food and beer to the left and only ONE main stage in front. Lay on the bank all day only moving for the warm up bands you might like, in my case Thunder , W.A.S.P etc back up to the bank until the headline act. No jumping from Billy to Jack to see a particular band. Just lay back and enjoy the 10 or so bands on the bill, some you like, some you would never have heard of before but a class day out all the same. Dont like the way Download has taken the MOR mantle. With Monsters you went for the headline act with Download you go anyway rather than the religious experience that it was back in the day. Each to their own I suppose but there was definite electricity in the air with Maiden in 92 knowing that most if not all of the crowd were Maiden fans, I just dont get the same feeling nowadays. In 07 the crowd felt like it was a mixed crowd not a purely Maiden crowd which slightly diminished the atmosphere imo.
Have to say that flying into East Midlands Airport over Donington is a great feeling. Onto the bus and into the venue in 25mins is excellent.

I see we're your coming from but I do think that some events, notably Sonisphere last year and in 2010 showed that a lot of fans still go for the headline, Slipknot drew a HUGE crowd on Sunday (I seen people waiting to get to the front at 10am that morning when the band wouldn't hit the stage before 9pm) and Maiden in 2010 drew a huge contingent of fans alone. In fact, at the event, most people stayed in the camping area for the bulk of the weekend and only bothered to go and see Maiden perform

breffni666

Motley Crue wrote: »

I see we're your coming from but I do think that some events, notably Sonisphere last year and in 2010 showed that a lot of fans still go for the headline, Slipknot drew a HUGE crowd on Sunday (I seen people waiting to get to the front at 10am that morning when the band wouldn't hit the stage before 9pm) and Maiden in 2010 drew a huge contingent of fans alone. In fact, at the event, most people stayed in the camping area for the bulk of the weekend and only bothered to go and see Maiden perform

Then there is still room for a Monsters type of day then. One big mother f**cker of a headliner with support based on the headline act, or similer enough to them. Think Sabbath with Priest with Slayer with Trivium with Amon with Airbourne with 3-4 up and coming and you have one hell of a day?

Motley Crue

breffni666 wrote: »

Then there is still room for a Monsters type of day then. One big mother f**cker of a headliner with support based on the headline act, or similer enough to them. Think Sabbath with Priest with Slayer with Trivium with Amon with Airbourne with 3-4 up and coming and you have one hell of a day?

Yes, I think so, but I think it's a very real fact that (as you mentioned) metal fans are spoiled these days, spoiled for choice and demand more for their money, fans 20 years ago would have been happy with a basic MOR line up and a decent headliner...but not today. Proof when Alice Cooper and Deep Purple tried to restart the MOR one day thing a few years ago and it failed in terms of ticket sales and never happened again.

I'd personally go to see the line up of the 1995 Monsters of Rock tomorrow if it were recreated band for band (if that were possible)



But I can assure you that a lot of people would consider those bands too old and past it, and ticket sales would suffer, as they'd expect a 3 day weekend, some comedy, some young and unsigned bands, a market stall, some amusements and some smaller bands you feel proud to have seen because you got up before all your mates and sneaked into the tent that was later full to capacity....

I mean, personally I love him, but I don't know how their weren't riots in Donnington in 1983 (second on the bill) when he played....



How cool would it be to see him at Sonisphere this year?

Anyway, point is, metal fans have changed almost as much as the music and now want a lot more. And those who make up the bulk of ticket sales to festivals are younger and younger every year. And in some cases it's Mum and Dad who fork out for that, not the kid's themselves (I mean have you TRIED getting a paper round in this economic climate lol) so choices have to be made...and bands are chosen for their ability to sell out to younger audiences, because they're considered "rising stars" or because their an "easy sale" and not because they are a pure mix of talent and everyone will like them

Fi H

I'm confused .... most of those bands you are listing are in fact playing festivals this year and have played most years so I disagree that they wouldnt attract people!

Mental Mickey

Motley Crue wrote: »

Yes, I think so, but I think it's a very real fact that (as you mentioned) metal fans are spoiled these days, spoiled for choice and demand more for their money, fans 20 years ago would have been happy with a basic MOR line up and a decent headliner...but not today. Proof when Alice Cooper and Deep Purple tried to restart the MOR one day thing a few years ago and it failed in terms of ticket sales and never happened again.

I'd personally go to see the line up of the 1995 Monsters of Rock tomorrow if it were recreated band for band (if that were possible)



But I can assure you that a lot of people would consider those bands too old and past it, and ticket sales would suffer, as they'd expect a 3 day weekend, some comedy, some young and unsigned bands, a market stall, some amusements and some smaller bands you feel proud to have seen because you got up before all your mates and sneaked into the tent that was later full to capacity....

I mean, personally I love him, but I don't know how their weren't riots in Donnington in 1983 (second on the bill) when he played....



How cool would it be to see him at Sonisphere this year?

Anyway, point is, metal fans have changed almost as much as the music and now want a lot more. And those who make up the bulk of ticket sales to festivals are younger and younger every year. And in some cases it's Mum and Dad who fork out for that, not the kid's themselves (I mean have you TRIED getting a paper round in this economic climate lol) so choices have to be made...and bands are chosen for their ability to sell out to younger audiences, because they're considered "rising stars" or because their an "easy sale" and not because they are a pure mix of talent and everyone will like them

i was there(Donington 95). f**kin savage gig.

Motley Crue

Fi H wrote: »

I'm confused .... most of those bands you are listing are in fact playing festivals this year and have played most years so I disagree that they wouldnt attract people!

I didn't say that, what I said was that even though bands like these did and would attract fans, music fans demand more for their money so that's why we've got three to six stages of bands, three days of music and all these markets and attractions as opposed to a few burger vans, one day in a field and a handful of decent bands

It costs a lot of money to invite all these bands to perform at the festival, and pay them, so burger vans and amusements and market stalls pay a lot of the bill through the rent they pay. But then the promoter has to put forward a certain amount of money, and he can only do that through rising ticket costs, and if ticket costs are rising then there needs to be more provided and a reason to spend that money.

Headliners might attract people to the festival, bring people in, but I assure you there is a real trouble to get bands to play the lower stages - especially decent bands who offer exclusives. Then you've got to worry about the aftershow and the comedians, because other festivals are doing that, and you don't want to be outdone.

People aren't idiots, they don't go to Metallica year in year out because they just want Metallica, a lot of the success is driven through the support and the atmosphere of the festival, as opposed to who's playing

In the 80s they went solely for who was headlining and the atmosphere, nothing else came into it

Music fans are spoil for choice these days, and promoters know it

I wouldn't even be surprised if Sonisphere was cancelled, not because they couldn't get the headliners, but because there was a real problem getting mid level bands to play the main and 2nd stage without promising an exclusive to another UK festival like Bloodstock or Download

NIBBS

Shinedown are on the lineup too - Copping should really just do announcements on his twitter page at this stage, he's just working out which stage placing they get apparrently....